BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an integrated-circuit (IC) card system for providing
various services to users of IC cards such as a credit card, a cash card, and/or a
passenger ticket.
[0002] In a known IC card system of prior art, when an IC card of a user is installed in
an IC card terminal device, an operator or the user operates the terminal device.
According to the contents of the operation, the IC card terminal device provides various
services to the user. For example, USP 6,119,945 describes a prior-art technique of
this kind.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In the IC card services of the prior art, the user or the operator must directly
operate the IC card terminal, for example, to update a valid period or an expiration
time of the IC card or to accumulate a value to a balance the IC card. This leads
to a problem of usability such that a long line of users appears at a commutation
ticket issuing/updating window for students and workers immediately before the beginning
of a new term or the like, and a problem that the user must confirm the balance of
his or her prepaid card to add a desired value to the balance. With increase of various
services, there arises a problem that the user must conduct complex operation from
the IC card terminal. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide
an IC card system having high usability in which highly developed services are available.
[0004] When a user accesses a service providing system employing a recording medium such
as an IC card, the user registers, to the service providing system, actions or processing
necessary for the recording medium including an IC card. The service providing system
distributes the actions to service providing terminal devices such as IC card terminals.
Thereafter, when the user installs, in a service providing terminal, the recording
medium for which the actions have been registered in advance as above, the service
providing terminal conducts the actions registered for the recording medium.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from
the consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an IC card system;
Fig. 2 is a diagram showing structure of an IC card management or control system;
Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a data layout of a card management database;
Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a data layout of a negative card management database;
Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a data layout of a user management database;
Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a data layout of a configuration of action execution control
parameters;
Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a data layout of an action management database;
Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a user terminal;
Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a data layout of a user profile;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an IC card terminal such
as a ticket issuing terminal, a fare adjusting terminal, or a value adding terminal;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an IC card terminal, namely,
a ticket inspecting terminal;
Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing structure of a computing section of IC card
terminal;
Fig. 13 is a diagram showing a data layout of a negative list;
Fig. 14 is a diagram showing a data layout of an action list;
Fig. 15 is a block diagram showing structure of an IC card system;
Fig. 16 is a diagram showing information items stored in an IC card;
Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing an overall processing flow; and
Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing a processing flow to execute actions.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0006] Referring now to Figs. 1 to 18, description will be given of the contents of an example
in which the present invention is applied to a service providing operation in an IC
card system employed in a train ticket system using IC cards. First, description will
be given of a first embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
[0007] Fig. 1 shows an overall configuration of a train IC card system. The system includes
an IC card terminal 1010 to provide various services to users through IC cards, an
IC card 1020 which can store various tickets such as a commutation ticket and a limited
express ticket for a reserved seat, an IC card management system 1030 which operates
to manage the overall IC card system, a user terminal 1040 such as a portable telephone
or a personal computer (PC), an IC card service system 1050 to conduct such services
as ticket reservation and sales service and a commutation ticket update service, and
an information communication network 1060 to connects these subsystems to each other.
[0008] The IC card terminal includes a ticket vending device 1010' to write various ticket
information on an IC card in compensation for the associated charge, a ticket inspecting
device 1011, and an information supplying terminal 1012 to supply various information
such as sightseeing information. The IC card management system includes an IC card
management section 1031 to manage IC card information, a user management section 1032
to manage information of users, and an action management section to manage various
procedures for IC cards. The user terminal includes devices which can be connected
via an information communication network to the IC card service system and the IC
card management system such as a portable telephone 1041, a mobile PC 1042, and a
home/office PC 1043. The IC card service system is represented by, for example, a
web site to provide a ticket reservation and sales service, specifically, provides
services such as a ticket reservation and sales service 1051 and an IC card issuance
and update service 1052.
[0009] Fig. 2 shows a configuration of an IC card management system. The system includes
a card management section 2010, a user management system 2020, and an action management
system 2030. Referring now to Figs. 3 to 8, description will be given of an outline
of a function of each section.
(1) Card management section
[0010] The card management section 2010 receives a request to refer to card information
and/or a request to update card information from an IC card terminal, a user terminal,
and an IC card service system connected to the IC card management system. In response
to the requests, the card management section 2010 refers to or updates a card management
database 2011 disposed to manage the entire IC card information in the IC card system.
The card management system registers, to a negative (invalid) card management database
2012, IC cards which become invalid because of theft, loss, failure, or the like,
and registers a negative identifier to a negative list of the terminal in which the
card is used. The card management section 2010 thereby prevents unauthorized uses
of invalid IC cards.
[0011] Fig. 3 shows a data layout of a card management database. This is a database to manage
information stored in each IC card and includes records each of which includes data
items of a user ID 3010, ticket information 3020, balance information 3030, point
information 3040, and a card expiration time 3050.
[0012] Fig. 4 shows a data layout of a negative card management database. The database is
disposed to manage IC cards which have become invalid because of theft, loss, failure,
or the like. Each record of the database includes data items such as a card identifier
4010, a registration date 4020, a registration cause 4030, and a registration canceling
condition 4010.
(2) User management section
[0013] The user management section 2020 receives a request to refer to card information
and/or a request to update user information from an IC card terminal, a user terminal,
and an IC card service system connected to the IC card management system. On receiving
such requests, the user management section 2020 refers to or updates a user management
database 2021 disposed to manage the overall user information in the IC card system.
[0014] Fig. 5 shows a data layout of a user management database. This is disposed to manage
information of each user, and each record thereof includes fields of data items such
as a name field 5010, a sex field 5020, an age field 5030, an address field 5040,
a telephone number field 5050, a mail address field 5060, a credit number field 5070,
and a secret number field 5080.
(3) Action management section
[0015] The action management section 2030 receives an action request for each card sent
from a user terminal, an IC card terminal, and an IC card service system connected
to the IC card management system. Having received the requests, the action management
section 2030 refers to action execution control parameters and generates an action
corresponding to the request. The section 2030 distributes the action to an IC card
terminal specified according to a type of the action and then registers the action
to the action management database 2031.
[0016] Fig. 6 shows a configuration of action execution control parameters. The parameters
are used to define a distributing condition, an expiration time, and the like of the
action for each action type. The parameters include distribution timing 6010 to specify
a distribution condition of time, a distribution area 6020 to specify a distribution
condition of an area, a distribution terminal 6030 to specify a distribution condition
for each type of IC card terminal, an executing condition 6040 to specify action executing
condition, and an action expiration time 6050.
[0017] Fig. 7 shows a configuration of an action management database. In this database,
each action registered for each IC card is managed using an action identifier (ID),
namely, a serial number sequentially set to the action in a sequence of action registration.
Each action includes data items such as an action registration day and time 7010,
IC card terminal distribution day and time 7020, a distribution area 7030, a distribution
terminal 7040, an action type 7050, action contents 7060, an execution condition 7070,
an execution result 7080, and an expiration time 7090.
[0018] Fig. 8 shows a construction of a user terminal 8010. The terminal 8010 can access
via an information communication network the IC card management or control system
and the IC card service system and includes a communication controller 8011, a user
interface section 8012, and a user profile 8013. The terminal 8010 may also includes
an IC card reader-writer 8014 depending on cases.
[0019] Fig. 9 shows a data layout of a user profile. Each record of the user profile includes
a name 9010, a sex 9020, an age 9030, an address 9040, a telephone number 9050, a
mail address 9060, a credit number 9070, and a secret number 9080.
[0020] Fig. 10 shows, in a perspective view, an outline of an example of an IC card terminal,
namely, a terminal which is used to issue a ticket, to add a value, and to conduct
fare adjustment. The terminal includes a display 10010, an IC card input section 10020,
a cash inlet 10030, an operator's panel 10040, an ejecting slit 10050, and a computing
section 10060. The display conducts guidance of various operations for users. The
IC card input section 10020 includes an IC card reader-writer which can conduct read
and write operations of information of IC cards having various functions as, for example,
a credit card and a commutation ticket. The operator or user inputs cash from the
cash inlet 10030. The user inputs a command from the operator's panel 10040 according
to a desired service. In the IC card issuance or update, when change takes place,
the change is ejected from the ejecting slit 10050. When the user installs an IC card
in the IC card inlet 10020, the computing section 10060 first confirms validity of
the IC card, and then determines presence or absence of an action corresponding to
the card. If an effective action exits, the computing section 10060 conducts the action,
and then achieves various services in response to operations of the user.
[0021] Fig. 11 shows, in a perspective view, another example of the card IC terminal, namely,
a contactless IC card inspection device. The card user passes the card inspection
device while placing his or her IC card over an IC card input section 11010. A computing
section 11020 of the inspection device first determines validity of the IC card. If
the card is not valid, the computing section 11020 closes a gate 11030 to prevent
passage of the user and displays a cause of passage rejection for the pertinent IC
card in a display window 11040. Next, the computing section 11020 determines presence
or absence of an action for the card. If there exists an efficient action, the computing
section 11020 executes the action, and then executes processing of ordinary ticket
inspection.
[0022] Fig. 12 shows a configuration of the computing section 12010 of the IC card terminal.
The computing section 12010 includes a communication controller 12011 to communicate
information with the IC card management system, a job execution section 12012 to control
jobs of the IC card terminal such as the ticket inspection, the ticket issuance, and
the fare adjustment, an action execution section 12013 to execute actions stored in
the action list, a negative list 12014 to store ID information of invalid cards, and
action list 12015 to store an execution procedure for each IC card.
[0023] Fig. 13 shows a negative list to store ID information of invalid cards. Each record
of the negative list includes a registration day and time 13010 and an invalidation
cause 13020 for each identifier (ID).
[0024] Fig. 14 shows an action list to store an execution procedure for each IC card. In
the action list, an action registered for each IC card is managed according to an
action ID sequentially set as a serial number in an order of registration. Each record
of the action list includes data items of an action type 14010, action contents 14020,
an execution condition 14030, execution results 14040, and an expiration time 14050.
[0025] Fig. 15 shows a configuration of an ID card service system. The system includes a
request receiving section 15010 to receive requests from a user terminal and an IC
card terminal connected to the network, a service execution section 15020 to execute
services according to requests, an action request section 15030 to send results of
execution of a service to the IC card management system, and various service functions
such as a ticket reservation and issuance service 15040, a commutation ticket issuance/update
service 15050, and a service for card lost 15060. Description will be given of an
outline of processing of the ticket reservation/issuance service. When the request
receiving section 15010 receives a ticket reservation/sale request of a reserved seat
from a user, the service execution section 15020 refers to free-seat information managed
by its own system or an external system to conduct a reservation/settlement procedure
by conversing with the user. The action request section 15030 sends ticket information
and a user identifier obtained as a result of the service execution to the IC card
management system. The IC card management system generates a ticket issuance action
and distributes the action to a ticket issuing device or the like.
[0026] Fig. 16 shows a data layout of IC card storage information. The information includes
user profile information 16010 and application information 16020. The user profile
information 16010 includes a name 16011, a sex 16012, an age 16013, an address 16014,
a telephone number 16015, a mail address 16016, a credit number 16017, and a secret
number 16018. The application information includes a card identifier 16121, a user
identifier 16122, ticket information 16023 storing various tickets such as a commutation
ticket, a reservation ticket, and a hotel coupon; balance information 16024 storing
a balance of prepaid value or electronic money, point information 16025, action execution
history 16026, and a card expiration time 16027.
[0027] Fig. 17 shows an overall flow of processing to register and to execute an action
from an IC card terminal. The processing of action registration using a user terminal
and an IC card service system basically includes the same processing flow as this
processing flow, and hence description thereof will be avoided.
[0028] Description will next be given of the overall system processing flow, specifically,
processing of an IC card terminal A 17010 being used by an operator, processing of
an IC card management system 17020, and each IC card terminal N 17030.
(1) IC card terminal A (step 17010)
[0029] To receive one of various services, a user or an operator installs an IC card in
the IC card terminal A. First, in step 17011, the IC card terminal A reads storage
information from the IC card. In step 17012, the terminal A collates a card ID in
the storage information obtained in step 17012 with a negative list of the IC card
terminal A to determine whether or not the ID number is already registered to the
negative list. If the IC card has already been registered to the negative list, the
terminal A executes negative card detection processing in step 17013 and terminals
the service for the IC card in the terminal A. If the IC card has not been registered
to the negative list, the processing proceeds to step 17014 to execute action execution
processing, which will be described in detail later. When action execution processing
is finished, the processing goes to step 17015 to user the service of the IC card
terminal A. The step corresponds to an ordinary job of the terminal A, namely, to
processing of ticket inspection, processing of ticket issuance, and processing of
addition of a balance amount. In this step, according to a request inputted by the
user to receive the service and rules beforehand specified, for example, a rule to
automatically add 1000 Yen to the balance when the balance of the IC card becomes
300 Yen or less; the IC card terminal A generates user request information and sends
the information to the IC card management system.
[0030] In this example, the request of the user is sent from an IC card terminal. However,
it is also possible that the user inputs a request from a user terminal to send the
request directly to the IC card management system and the user generates a request
using a user terminal and an IC card service system to send the request to the IC
card management system. Specific request examples of various services are as follows.
(A) Request to change a user profile from a user terminal
(B) Request to automatically transfer an amount of monthly fare from the IC card service
system
(C) Request to issue a reservation ticket from the IC card service system
(2) IC card management system (step 17020)
[0031] On receiving a request from a user in step 17021, the IC card management system generates
an action for the request in step 17022.
[0032] If the request is, for example, an addition of 3000 Yen to the balance of the IC
card, the IC card management system generates an action to send the action to the
action management database as below.
· Pertinent card ID is set according to the contents of the request.
· Action ID is set to a value obtained by adding one to a maximum value of the action
identifier already registered to the pertinent card identifier.
· Registration day and time are set to the current time.
· Distribution area is set according to action control parameters.
· Action contents are set according to the contents of the request.
· Execution condition is set according to action control parameters.
· Execution results are set "not executed" as a default value.
· Expiration time is set according to the current time and action control parameters.
[0033] Subsequently, in step 17023, the IC card management system refers to an action type
generated in the preceding step. If the action type is "negative list registration",
the system registers, in step 17025, an identifier number of the IC card to the negative
card management database and distributes ID information to the IC card terminal. If
the action type is other than "negative list registration", the system goes to step
17024 and distributes the action generated before to an IC card terminal specified
by the distribution area.
(3) IC card terminal N (step 17030)
[0034] When an action is received in step 17031, the card terminal N registers the action
to the action list. When a negative identifier is received in step 17033, the terminal
N registers the negative identifier to the negative list in step 17034.
[0035] Next, description will be given of the action execution processing. Fig. 18 shows
a detailed processing flow of step 17014, i.e., action execution processing of Fig.
17. In the processing, an action list in the own system is collated in step 18010
with the identifier number of the IC card which is being used and which has already
been referred to. In step 18020, a check is made to determined whether or not an action
corresponding to the card ID has been registered to the action list. If the action
has not been registered, the action execution processing is terminated. Otherwise,
a check is made in step 18030 to determine whether or not the action has already been
executed. This is conducted by determining whether or not the pertinent action ID
is included in action execution history stored in the IC card. If all actions corresponding
to the IC card have already conducted, the action execution processing is terminated.
Otherwise, the processing goes to step 18040 to conduct action identifier check 1.
[0036] In action identifier check 1, a check is made to determined whether or not a minimum
value of one or more non-executed action identifiers is equal to a value obtained
by adding one to an executed action identifier stored in the action execution history
of the IC card. If the minimum value is equal to the obtained value, the processing
goes to step 18050 to conduct action identifier check 2. Otherwise, processing goes
to step 18060 to execute error processing, for example, an error cause is notified
to the user and/or a request is issued to the ID management system to download a latest
action list. In step 18050, a check is made to determine whether or not the non-executed
action identifiers are completely sequential. If there exists an action identifier
not sequential in the identifiers, the processing goes to step 18070 to execute error
processing. If all action identifiers are sequential, processing goes to step 18070
to execute a non-executed action. Next, in step 18080, a result of the execution is
stored in the action execution history of the IC card. In step 18090, the execution
result is sent to the IC card management system. The system receives the execution
result in step 18100 and then stores the execution result in the action management
database in step 180110.
[0037] Subsequently, description will be given of a second embodiment of the present invention.
In the second embodiment, predetermined services are conducted by a ticket inspection
device by use of a station server device installed at each station or in each predetermined
region. Specifically, in the second embodiment, the station server device executes
at least part of the processing executed by the IC card management system in the foregoing
embodiment. In this situation, each of the predetermined regions may include a plurality
of stations.
[0038] For example, the station server device may include the function of the card management
section 2010. In this case, the station server device may execute processing for management
data regarding users (IC cards) associated with the pertinent station (region). Data
of the other users may be transmitted to station server devices corresponding to the
users or the IC card management system so that the data is processed therein.
[0039] In this situation, the negative list registration may be achieved by distributing
a negative list from the IC card management system to each station server device.
It is also possible in this case that the data set to the station server device includes
only the data of users associated with the station server.
[0040] The addition of the value to the IC card may be carried out according to an indication
from the station server device. That is, the station server device receives information
from an IC card terminal, and then the IC card terminal executes the value addition
according to an indication from the station server device. It is also possible that
the IC card terminal executes the value addition for an IC card having particular
identification information. After the value addition, the IC card terminal notifies
the condition to the station server device and/or the IC card management system. In
response thereto, the station server device and/or the IC card management system conduct/conducts
associated processing. For example, a request for settlement is notified to a computer
of a bank or the like. The station server devices are connected to the network 1060.
[0041] The present invention also includes a mode in which when an IC card passes a ticket
inspection device, a fare of an interval traveled using the IC card is charged. First,
when a passenger having a card including an IC card passes a ticket inspection device,
the device reads the card to obtain identification information of the user or the
card. When the passenger leaving a station passes a ticket inspection device using
the card, the device similarly obtains identification information. The IC card management
system receives these identification information. According to the information, the
system calculates a fare traveled by the passenger. The system sends, to a settlement
organization, the result of the calculation and a settlement request to charge the
user identified by the identification information. The settlement organization executes
processing to transfer the charged amount from an account of the user to an account
of an enterprise providing the service.
[0042] In the mode, the card may store value information representing a value of money.
It is also possible in this operation that the ticket inspection device draws a value
of the price from the card when the passenger enters or leaves a station.
[0043] The present invention also includes a program product which is used to execute the
processing of the embodiments and which can be stored on a computer readable storage
medium.
[0044] While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative
embodiments, it is not to be restricted by those embodiments but only by the appended
claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify
the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
1. A service providing system using a storage medium (1020) having stored service information
for a user to receive services for executing information processing to provide the
services according to the service information (Fig. 1), wherein:
said storage medium stores identification information for identifying said storage
medium (Fig. 3);
when said storage medium and a service providing terminal device (1010) satisfy a
predetermined positional relation ship for the user to receive the services, said
service providing terminal device transmits said identification information via a
network (1060) to a management device (1030);
said management device stores management service information (1031 - 1033) indicating
management services to provide the services which are registered for each storage
medium and which are to be executed for each storage medium; and
service providing terminal device executes a management service (1030) for said storage
medium, said management service being indicated by management service information
corresponding to the identification information transmitted according to a transmission
from said management device.
2. A service providing system according to claim 1, wherein said management service information
is information indicating update of a period of time in which said services can be
received (2010; Fig. 13).
3. A service providing system according to claim 2, wherein:
said storage medium is a commutation ticket of a transportation facility;
said services allow the user to travel by the transportation facility;
said management service is update of the commutation ticket.
4. A service providing system according to claim 1, wherein said storage medium is an
integrated-circuit (IC) card.
5. A management service apparatus using a storage medium (1020) having stored service
information for a user to receive services for executing information processing to
provide the services according to the service information (Fig. 1), comprising:
means (2011, 2012) for storing management service information (1031 - 1033) indicating
management services to provide the services which are registered for each storage
medium and which are to be executed for each storage medium;
means for receiving identification information (Fig. 3) being stored on said storage
medium and identifying said storage medium (Fig. 3) to which, when said storage medium
and a service providing terminal device (1010) satisfy a predetermined positional
relation ship for the user to receive the services, said service providing terminal
device transmits said identification information via a network (1060); and
means (1010) for executing information processing to execute for said storage medium
a management service indicated by management service information corresponding to
the identification information transmitted from said service providing terminal device.
6. A management service apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said management service
information is information indicating update of a period of time in which said services
can be received (2010; Fig. 13).
7. A management service apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:
said storage medium is a commutation ticket of a transportation facility;
said services allow the user to travel by the transportation facility;
said management service is update of the commutation ticket.
8. A management service apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:
said means for executing the information processing transmits, to said service providing
terminal device, management service information corresponding to the identification
information; and
said service providing terminal device executes a management service indicated by
the management service information transmitted to said storage medium.
9. A management service apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said storage medium is
an IC card.
10. A service providing terminal device (1010) using a storage medium (1020) having stored
service information for a user to receive services for executing information processing
to provide the services according to the service information (Fig. 1), comprising:
means for reading, from said storage medium, identification information (Fig. 3) identifying
said storage medium (Fig. 3) and being stored on said storage medium when said storage
medium and a service providing terminal device (1010) satisfy a predetermined positional
relation ship for the user to receive the services;
means (8011) for transmitting said identification information via a network (1060)
to a management device;
means (8011) for receiving management service information (1031 - 1033) from said
management device via said network, said management service information being stored
in said management device and indicating management services to provide the services
which are registered for each storage medium and which are to be executed for each
storage medium; and
means (1010) for executing a management service for said storage medium, said management
service being indicated by the management service information received from said management
device.
11. A service providing terminal device according to claim 10, wherein said management
service information is information indicating update of a period of time in which
said services can be received (2010; Fig. 13).
12. A program product which can be stored on a computer readable storage for making a
management service apparatus execute processing, said management service apparatus
using a storage medium (1020) having stored service information for a user to receive
services for executing information processing to provide the services according to
the service information (Fig. 1), said processing comprising the steps of:
storing management service information (1031
- 1033) indicating management services to provide the services which are registered
for each storage medium and which are to be executed for each storage medium;
receiving identification information (Fig. 3) being stored on said storage medium
and identifying said storage medium (Fig. 3) to which, when said storage medium and
a service providing terminal device (1010) satisfy a predetermined positional relation
ship for the user to receive the services, said service providing terminal device
transmits said identification information via a network (1060); and
performing information processing to execute for said storage medium a management
service indicated by management service information corresponding to the identification
information transmitted from said service providing terminal device.
13. A program product according to claim 12, wherein said management service information
is information indicating update of a period of time in which said services can be
received (2010; Fig. 13).
14. A program product according to claim 12, wherein:
said storage medium is a commutation ticket of a transportation facility;
said services allow the user to travel by the transportation facility;
said management service is update of the commutation ticket.